Female Swordsman Training Dojo

As thunder rumbled across the long street, the already panicked Yakuza completely collapsed, dropping their heavy iron bars and steel pipes and fleeing into the dark, narrow alleyways. The eager guerrillas...

Chapter 127

They tried to chase after them, but were quickly pulled back by their respective group leaders and companions, and returned to the house.

After all, the instructors' orders were not to pursue them to avoid being ambushed; they weren't like Harunobu, capable of ignoring the sheer number of Yakuza. But there was no need to worry, because Harunobu had already given chase.

The thunder, which sounded like a death knell to the Yakuza, was like a triumphant song of victory to the female swordswomen and the surrounding people, or a peaceful lullaby, bringing them immense peace of mind.

The thunder continued until well past midnight, sweeping across all the areas the guerrillas had patrolled that day before finally stopping. After such strenuous exercise, Harunobu was also feeling a little tired.

"No, your guild leader won't even come out in person?" Harunobu looked at the nearly dying Yakuza and poked the hard scales on his face with a shallow poke. "He should be much stronger than you, right? By the way, how many of you came out today?"

Yakuza, lying on the ground, stared with his dim, vertical eyes as he breathed his last. Even in death, his eyes were filled with Harunobu's image.

"Sigh, disappointing." Harunobu kicked the corpse that had turned back into human form, grabbed his arm, and dragged him onto the rooftop as well. Hojo Amu immediately came over with a rope, skillfully looped it around Yakuza's neck, and turned him into a teru teru bozu (a Japanese doll-shaped ornament).

"One, two... fifteen, sixteen." Qingxin counted the number of people, shook his head, "Quite a few still ran away, what a pity."

"Let's continue later." Amu Hojo said, about to approach Harunobu, but stopped when she saw her bloodstained hands. Harunobu noticed this and went over to Amu Hojo and ruffled her hair.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell after your first murder?"

Since Amu Hosho felt shy and didn't dare to take the initiative, Harunobu decided to take the initiative himself.

"Teacher's College, I just think it's too dirty." Amu Hosho said with a laugh, but she didn't move her head away, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned.

As for the feeling of killing? Uh... if it were Hojo Amu who had experienced 1000% power before, she might have felt some physical discomfort, but now she just felt that it was no different from a normal battle.

"Yes, yes." Harunobu gently pinched the tip of Hosho Amu's nose, earning a roll of her eyes before withdrawing her hands and stretching. "Alright, it's time to go back, or it'll be dawn soon."

"Yes," Amu Hosho said briefly, then looked at the sixteen Teru Teru Bozu dolls swaying in the wind. "But is this really okay? Won't the police come knocking on our door?"

"Don't worry, Amu." Harunobu said, putting an arm around Amu Hojo's waist and pulling her into his arms. "This is obviously a suicide by hanging, what does it have to do with us?"

Hojo Amu looked at Harunobu with a strange expression. As a proper samurai girl, she had never experienced such a reversal of right and wrong. However, seeing Harunobu's nonchalant expression, she naturally relaxed and snuggled closer to him.

"Let's go back... yawn... I'm so sleepy."

Harunobu's family and the Bracers all returned to the Aozora House, where, after a busy wash, they fell into a peaceful, baby-like sleep. But the general public, just waking up from their dreams, were not in such a good mood.

Anyone who glances at sixteen teru teru bozu dolls floating in front of them or near their home will certainly not be in a good mood. And if those dolls suddenly start falling one after another, causing blood and gore to splatter, it would obviously be even more unsettling.

Although after discovering the true identity of these teru teru bozu dolls, they actually wished they had more of them.

But this time, the Asakusa police acted much faster than usual, rushing over early in the morning.

Investigating the scene, collecting the body, conducting autopsies and interviews... the police were incredibly busy, their diligent and earnest attitude prompting onlookers to exclaim that the sun had risen in the west. Meanwhile, the reporters were even busier, wishing they had wings.

All members of the Demon Dragon Society died suddenly!

What explosive news! If they don't rush to get the scoop on this kind of news, what kind of journalists are they?

What? Where do you go to rob it?

Of course it's Aozorakan! This is clearly Taira no Shinji's doing! Last night, the thunder in Asakusa Ward sounded like a flood was imminent, everyone knows that!

So when Harunobu and the others finally woke up in the warm evening sun, the entrance to the Aozorakan and the Bracer Association was already crowded with all kinds of reporters, from professional publications like the Yomiuri Shimbun and Jiji Shimbun to smaller magazines like Kosei and Seiji.

Naturally, no one greeted them. Harunobu and his disciples were busy eating.

However, the official police statement quickly dampened the reporters' enthusiasm.

After a detailed investigation, it was confirmed that this was a mass suicide and no case will be filed.

???

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Author's Note: Please vote! Please keep reading!

Chapter 123: The Backstage Battle

Within just a few days, the story of the Teru Teru Bozu (Sunny Doll) became a sensation, if not a craze in Asakusa, at least throughout Tokyo. From idlers and lazybones on the streets to well-dressed political and business elites, even foreigners knew that the Demon Dragon of Asakusa had been utterly defeated by a samurai.

And there's nothing we can do about it.

You say these teru teru bozu (Japanese sunny dolls) were killed by someone, do you have any evidence? Thunder? Is that evidence? Why don't you say he killed you in his dream?

Besides, if becoming a Yakuza to the point of having to resort to the law to deal with enemies, that would truly be a new level of shame. If they really did that, the Demon Dragon Society in Tokyo might as well give up on being a Yakuza member and become a lawyer instead.

But instead of legal sanctions, should we use the Yakuza's professional skills and violence to deal with him?

Uh... guess how these teru teru bozu (Japanese teru bozu dolls) became teru teru bozu? No matter how high the bounty or how big the promises Suzuki Ryuichi made, no one dared to say they would go and take Hiraharu Nobu's head back.

Even if I told you, no one would believe me.

Unable to win a fight or out-argue, the Demon Dragon Society was left with only one option: to contact their superiors.

In other words, he has to go to the owner in this situation. Otherwise, the owner will wonder why their dog is suddenly so assertive; something is definitely not right.

Of course, as a Yakuza member, Ryuichi Suzuki couldn't openly visit the homes of those important figures, nor could those important figures condescend to come to the Dragon Society. So they communicated by phone.

This saved Ryuichi Suzuki a lot of trouble, as he couldn't leave the headquarters right now. He was undergoing the final experiment by the organization behind Ippei Suzuki, which was part of a larger plan.

If he succeeds, then not only will Taira no Harunobu be no match for him, but no one in the entire Tokyo will be able to stand against him!

But before that, he still had to skillfully, from the bottom of his heart, speak flattering words to the other end of the phone.

"Lord Katsura Kotaro, please come."

Although Suzuki Ryuichi addressed him that way, the person opposite him wasn't actually named Katsura Kotaro. He called him that purely as a compliment. After all, the most famous and powerful figure in the Choshu Domain right now is Katsura Kotaro, the current Prime Minister.

Moreover, his shouting wasn't excessive, since although he didn't know the other person's name, he was certain that the other person's surname was Gui.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then a deep, suppressed voice came through: "Ryuichi Suzuki, you've disappointed me a lot lately."

"Heave-ho!" Suzuki Ryuichi sincerely and earnestly prostrated himself on the ground, his limbs flat on the floor, his forehead slamming heavily against the floor with a loud thud. A perfect dogeza (vertical prostration) was completed.

"Boom! Donnie's private Marseille-like!"

The swift knee slide silenced the person on the other end of the phone. Even though he couldn't see him, he could roughly picture Suzuki Ryuichi's current state just from his voice. Well, at least he seems to know what's good for him.

Chapter 128

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"Seeing how sincere you are, I'll let it go this time," the voice on the other end of the phone said. "Let's get down to business. What methods do you have left regarding Ping Qingxin's matter?"

"Please, Lord Katsura Kotaro, save me!" Suzuki Ryuichi kowtowed twice more. "I'm willing to increase my future donations to 80%!"

The Dragon Society originally split the profits 60/40 with the person on the other end of the phone.

"You've got guts." The person on the other end of the phone chuckled, clearly pleased with Suzuki Ryuichi's pragmatism, and immediately dropped his act of being profound. "Alright, I'll go talk to those people and have them let your people go back."

"I am deeply grateful—"

Before Ryuichi Suzuki could finish expressing his overwhelming gratitude, the call was abruptly ended. Amidst the dial tone, Ryuichi's face instantly turned ashen, and he scrambled to his feet from the floor.

"I thought your acting skills had deteriorated long ago." Suzuki Ippei, who had watched the whole thing, exhaled a smoke ring and patted his bulging belly. "But with this, we've managed to fool the Choshu Domain. Now we should behave ourselves."

Seeing Suzuki Ippei's smug expression, Suzuki Ryuichi's face grew even uglier, like a fried rice made with a mixture of dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and twice the amount of oyster sauce.

"Can't you mobilize the power of your organization? You always boast about how powerful you are!" Suzuki Ryuichi, whose subordinates had been reduced by several hundred again, was now extremely angry, to the point that he even dared to lash out at Suzuki Ippei.

Suzuki Ippei decided to tolerate this minor offense, after all, he was a magnanimous person: "It's too dangerous. The people watching us are much stronger than a mere samurai. Once they get too obviously involved with your Demon Dragon Society, then the grand plan is destined to be exposed."

Ryuichi Suzuki took a deep breath: "And what's next?"

"Let's wait and see. Maybe that 'Katsura Kotaro' really can handle it." Suzuki Ippei's tone was full of sarcasm, clearly indicating that he didn't think Katsura Kotaro could do it. Suzuki Ryuichi, who had just been humble and put on an act of absolute trust, also shook his head at this moment.

We will lose.

This time, Taira no Harunobu clearly has the police system backing him, which can't be resolved with just a few words from the military. After all, it's common knowledge that the police system is controlled by the old guard of the Aizu Domain, while the military is controlled by the Choshu and Satsuma Domains, two factions with a long-standing feud dating back to the Sengoku period. In the late Edo period, the Aizu Domain, as a staunch pro-shogunate faction, engaged in numerous fierce battles with the Choshu and Satsuma Domains, both staunch anti-shogunate factions.

The relationship between the two sides, if not mortal enemies, was at least a life-or-death struggle. If it were Prime Minister Katsura Taro speaking, things might be different, but the Choshu Domain wasn't a monolithic entity. At least within the military, many officers were dissatisfied with the cabinet's "sycophantic and treacherous officials." Furthermore, the cabinet, and even government officials like those in the Ministry of Home Affairs, were also dissatisfied with the military's ability to meet the Emperor independently and its frequent solo travel.

So don't be fooled by Katsura Kotaro's confident demeanor and the ease with which he seems to be able to solve this problem. When he actually has to do it... I hope he'll still be this confident then.

At this moment, Suzuki Ryuichi felt a bit of pleasure. Although he had been beaten badly, he couldn't help but feel satisfied when he thought that the military officials would soon have to face the trouble brought by that guy, Taira Harunobu.

But in his frantic state, he had clearly forgotten something very important: he had entrusted some special ledgers of the Nishikiyama Group to Nishikiyama Kaoru, who had then brought them back. After all, he was currently undergoing special modifications from a mysterious organization, dealing with the Dragon Society's affairs, which had been decimated by Hiraharu Shin, and also putting on a superb acting performance to deal with his "backer."

I simply don't have the energy to pay attention to such trivial matters!

So, "Katsura Kotaro" was beaten until his face was swollen like a pig's head by the account books produced by the Asakusa Police Station. Not only was he unable to fight back, but he was also ridiculed and belittled by his partners, and even his superiors expressed their disappointment in him, after all, he had been deceived by a group of lowly Yakuza.

So, a day later, Suzuki Ryuichi, who thought he had at least fooled the Choshu Domain, discovered that the former Choshu Domain veterans in the Demon Dragon Society had received news of their withdrawal. Actually, this wasn't a big deal; these veterans had long since become true Yakuza, not just soldiers. The problem was that they couldn't let the Choshu Domain discover their transformation.

Therefore, Ryuichi Suzuki had no choice but to use his personal wealth to double the previously concealed share and promise to split the profits 90/10 with Kotaro Katsura from now on. Only after being severely criticized and having his ancestors dragged up and labeled, did he barely manage to obtain a promise that "it will be resolved."

In the quiet room, Suzuki Ryuichi looked at Suzuki Ippei: "How much longer will the experiment take?"

Ippei Suzuki shrugged: "It'll be soon, but we don't need to wait until it's finished to get him in."

"For the sake of the grand plan," Ryuichi Suzuki clenched his fist, "and I'm going to tear him apart with my own hands."

The author says:

Author's note: Hoping to receive a recommendation notification today (∪.∪)...zzz

Chapter 124: Victory Celebration Banquet (3K)

"cheers!"

The wine glasses clinked together as the female disciples of Qingkong Pavilion cheerfully downed their drinks or wines, then slammed the glasses down heavily on the round table, making an unladylike "Ha~" sound.

However, no one would bother to lecture them at this point. This banquet was originally held to reward these young ladies for their hard work over the past few days, and it would be too inappropriate to go out and lecture them now.

Seated alone at a table with his disciples, Harunobu watched the joyful scene with a smile, then took a bite of the fried shrimp tempura that Hirayukiko had placed on his plate. The crispy exterior and tender shrimp meat blended together, creating a perfect texture that made Harunobu squint his eyes in enjoyment.

"Hmm~ Sachiko, your cooking skills have improved again."

Satisfied with the food in his mouth, Harunobu, without caring about the others, also picked up a piece of fish belly that Hirai Sachiko loved: "Ah~"

"Teacher's College~" Hirako glanced around, her face slightly flushed, and sure enough, she noticed a lot of eyes on her, which made her face even brighter. But Harunobu remained unmoved, insisting on holding his chopsticks.

"Really..."

Hirako muttered softly, parted her red lips slightly, took Harunobu's chopsticks into her mouth, swallowed the white fish belly, and deftly removed all the fish bones with a slight flick of her tongue before spitting it out with a tilt of her cheek. Every movement was filled with elegance. The young ladies watching couldn't help but pick up the manners they had just abandoned.

However, Harunobu, who was looking directly at Hirako, only noticed her quick wit and expression. He raised an eyebrow at Hirako. The couple, who had been studying and practicing diligently every day, were of one mind. Hirako blushed as if she had just drunk a large vat of wine. She playfully slapped Harunobu, but her heart was also burning with desire.

It must have been caused by the cheerful atmosphere.

Thinking about it, she noticed that Qingxin's wine glass was empty, so she quickly picked up the wine pot and refilled it: "Even if you, Shifan, are in good health, you should still drink less wine."

"I know, but today is a bit special." Harunobu doesn't usually drink; excessive drinking can affect hand stability, which is fatal for a swordsman. But the atmosphere is right now, and a little bit now and then won't hurt—it's sake anyway.

Hirayukiko was aware of this, so she only offered a word of advice and then focused on serving Harunobu. She poured wine, served him food, wiped his hands and face, almost bringing a spittoon for him to spit into—though Harunobu probably didn't need to.

The other disciples watching thought to themselves, completely bewildered that the strict and serious instructor was like this when she was with the instructor in private. The instructor is truly fortunate… but the instructor seems pretty good too, often turning things around…

Chapter 129

Not only did she feed the teacher trainee, she would also pull the teacher trainee to help wipe her face—wow, she actually started to nibble on it.

Symbolically covering their eyes with their outstretched hands, the young ladies watched excitedly as Harunobu kissed Hirako's lips. Even though it was a fleeting touch, it was enough to make their faces flush and cause them to cheer and scream. Even the nun, Hoe, a Buddhist nun, watched the scene with interest, her hands clasped together in prayer.

"See? I told you sake tastes better mixed together!" Harunobu said confidently, hands on his hips. Hirako, head bowed, mumbled something so low even Harunobu couldn't hear her. Although they already explored many positions in bed, being kissed... kissed... in public, in front of so many disciples...

Steam rose from Hirako's head, and she couldn't think straight for a moment.

The kitten seized the opportunity to step forward, trying to take over the position of serving Harunobu, but as soon as it got close, Hirako skillfully grabbed it by the back of the neck and pressed it down beside her.

The attempt to leak the information backfired spectacularly.

Qingxin smiled, pointed at the kitten, and reached out to pick her up and put her in his arms: "You little brat, eat more. Even the twins weigh more than you."

Pinch the kitten's smooth cheek and rest your head on hers: "It seems like even your height is about to be surpassed by the Geminis."

"Then why are you pressing down on me!" the kitten muttered, opening its mouth to bite the chopsticks Qingxin offered. Its little tongue deftly wrapped around the chicken on it, gripping the chopsticks tightly. Qingxin tried to pull it off, but couldn't. Instead, he felt the kitten's tongue trembling deftly through the chopsticks.

“You brat…” Harunobu scratched the kitten’s ribs, and while she was laughing, he took out the chopsticks that were covered in saliva and put them down. Then he beckoned to Hosho Amu sitting next to him, “Amu, come and let me hug you.”

The direct statement immediately crushed the shy and hesitant Hojo Amu, who blushed deeply and leaned against Harunobu's side under the gaze of everyone else. Then Harunobu pulled her into his arms, pressing his breasts against her face, making her nudge and elbow him.

It was soft and gentle, without any force at all; it was more like teasing.